She gives me a tired smirk. “Doc says to take three.”
I shake three into my palm and hand them to her.
Greta boosts herself up onto her elbows, takes the three hefty pills, and pops them into her mouth. When I offer her the water bottle, she takes a mouthful and tips her head back as she swallows.
Then she crashes onto her pillow with a groan.
“Is it always this bad?” I ask, taking the cup from her.
Her laugh is jaded. “Before I started taking the pill, it was worse.”
Worse?
What could be worse?
The question must be written all over my face because she narrows her eyes in warning. “Trust me, Rousseau, you don’t want to know.”
She’s wrong.
I don’t want to pry. But I don’t want her to think I don’t care.
So I shrug. “I have two older sisters. I don’t scare easily.”
She pulls a face, and I read the challenge in her eyes. “When I was fifteen, I passed a clot so big, the school nurse thought I was having a miscarriage.”
“Oh, Jesus,” I mutter.
Greta just nods. “Yep. She kept insisting I had to be at least ten weeks along and asking who the father was. That’s when Mom finally took me to the doctor and I got a prescription.”
“You must have been terrified.” I scowl, knowing my own mom would be horrified—both as a nurse and as a mother. “I hope your mom told her off.”
Greta looks surprised. “Who? The nurse?”
“Yes. That was completely unprofessional. Not to mention marginally crackpot.”
“Cr-Crackpot?” Greta echoes, giggling. Then she wrinkles her nose in a wince.
Before I even know what I’m doing, I sink down on my heels at her bedside.
“What else can I do?”
Greta blinks her eyes wide. She doesn’t look afraid, just surprised.
I realize how close I am to her bed and stand up, backing away.
She doesn’t take her eyes off me, but the look in them has softened.
“Zach… you’ve done more than enough.” Her smile is rueful. “I’ll feel better in a little while. You should try to get some sleep.”
I’m in her bedroom, and I’m not about to stay now that she’s dismissed me.
That doesn’t mean it makes it easy to leave.
“You sure?” I ask before I step out of sight.
Smiling, she nods. “I’m sure. It’s not fun, but I’m used to it. But thanks.”
“Anytime.”